Although I have been in Athens since the beginning of September, I often
wake up and feel as if I just arrived in this wonderful city! In the
first couple of weeks, I made it my chief priority to visit two places
that made an impression on me the last time I was here. The
archaeological site that I had to see first was the Kerameikos cemetery
where I visited my favourite s
telai: that which commemorates
Ampharete and her grandchild and the stele of the sisters Demetria and
Pamphile. The Kerameikos is one of those unusual places that is
surrounded by the hustle and bustle of daily life and yet inside the
cemetery there is this overwhelming peace and quiet, alongside the
stunning monuments, that makes you forget completely that you’re in the
middle of the city– a feature that the Kerameikos shares with its more
modern equivalent, the First Cemetery of Athens. The second place I had
to get to was the Poet Sandal Maker’s shop in Monastiraki. After having
Pantelis Melissinos make a pair of sandals for me the last time I was
here in 2017, I enjoyed the experience so much that I knew I had to
return and get another pair. Monastiraki and nearby Psyri are this
wonderful combination of traditional and urban chic, and it is as if the
grunge of the 90s never left – they are simply the coolest places to
just get lost in.
In addition to revisiting some of my favourite places, it has been a
great pleasure to discover new neighbourhoods. Athens is made up of a
variety of neighbourhoods, with each one being distinct from the others.
The area of Exarchia is a particular favourite, as it is not only where
the Epigraphic and National Museums are located, but it is also teeming
with amazing restaurants, cafes, bars, and bookstores in which I could
spend hours. The buildings are covered in graffiti that is worth looking
at, as it varies from being highly political to clever and hilarious.
Pangrati is another neighbourhood that is an absolute joy to wander
through. Fantastic architecture and parks lie hidden in this residential
suburb, as well as a more relaxed pace that has proven to be a most
welcome reprieve from the high energy city centre.
Let’s now to turn to my own research. While the great majority of my
time has been spent working on the final chapter of my dissertation in
which I examine the motivations behind and attitudes towards family
limitation methods in a Roman context, I wanted to challenge myself
further by learning how to handle a new category of evidence that I
found intimidating: enter Greek epigraphy. After reading through some
scholarship that discusses family relations and women in Greek
epigraphy, I made my way to the collections of the Epigraphic and
National Museums and surrounded myself with the material, taking
countless photos of
stelai that feature depictions of the
family and accompanying inscriptions. In October I attended a conference
that was held in honour of Dr. L. Threatte, in which renowned scholars
discussed various facets of Greek epigraphy, Attic laws and orators, and
decrees. It was fascinating to see this category of evidence be
examined and interpreted. Also, I must say that engaging with the
academic community at the various archaeological schools in Athens has
been a stimulating and rewarding experience. The scholars that I have
met during my time here thus far (of which there are too many to name!)
have been incredibly supportive and generous with their time. It’s a
wonderful environment for a young scholar to develop her ideas.
Lastly, a quick word on an adventure that I took outside of Athens.
In November I was given the opportunity to take a trip to Crete and I
jumped at the chance. Crete is such a unique island that feels like a
completely different world and one that is difficult to describe. The
archaeologist in charge of the trip was Dr. T. Brogan, who led the group
around the different sites on the island and introduced us to the
important work done by the Institute for Aegean Prehistory (INSTAP).
There were two sites in particular that were incredibly striking. The
first site was Lato, a Dorian city-state, which has to be one of the
most beautiful places I have ever seen, complete with breathtaking views
that I will never forget. The second site was Gortyn, the home of the
queen of all Greek inscriptions: the Gortyn Law Code, which is an
extraordinary document that sheds light on important aspects of daily
life on Crete. Providing content ranging from intermarriage between
slaves and free persons and the exposure of children, to the liability
of heirs and the ransom of prisoners, this inscription is a dream for
social historians. I was able to see the great code up close and witness
the boustrophedon first hand. Finally, the food on the island
was absolutely amazing and I have to say that some of the best meals
that I’ve had in Greece have been on Crete!
I cannot wait to see what the second half of my year in Athens has in store!
Barbara N. Scarfo
Homer and Dorothy Thompson Fellow, CIG
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